Crescent Moon Press – Page 8 – Cindy Young-Turner

A Stiff Kiss blog tour

I’m so excited to be hosting my first blog tour stop for fellow CMP author Avery Olive’s recently released novel, A Stiff Kiss! Avery was kind enough to answer some fun interview questions and has a book excerpt to share. She is also offering some great prizes:

A Stiff Kiss Coaster and a signed bookmark and collector card

Just leave a comment with your email and I’ll pick one lucky winner ! And this is an international giveaway!

In addition, check out Avery’s blog for the full tour information and a chance to win the grand prize: http://averyolive.blogspot.com/2012/03/stiff-kiss-blog-tour-grand-prize-and.html.

Now, let’s get to know Ms. Olive a bit more, shall we?

Avery Olive’s Top Fives

Q: A Stiff Kiss has a great scene in a morgue. What are your top five creepiest places?

A: Oh wow, I can tell this might just be my hardest interview to date! (heh heh, I try!)

My Basement. I don’t know what it is but, it’s always creepy. I worry what will happen to me if I am there all by myself!
A Morgue. It was fun to right the morgue scene for A Stiff Kiss, but I’m not going to lie, I’m not sure I’d ever be able to step foot in one.
The Woods. Have you ever been camping? The woods a night time are kinda creepy. The sounds, the smells, the animal’s that lurk unseen…
A Haunted House. I’ve never been to a real haunted house, but if there really are such things as ghosts… I don’t think I want to come face to face with one.
An Old Jail. I remember going to Alcatraz Island as a kid, riding the ferry, and touring the old jail. It wasn’t fun. I was worried there would still be criminal they’d forgotten about, or as mentioned above that there would be psychotic murdering ghosts.

Q: Name five things that inspired you to write the book.

A: You are really throwing out the thinkers aren’t ya?

A story I was told while on vacation.
The need to help myself understand death, or at least what makes people do what they do.
There’s a reverse sleeping beauty tale within the pages of A Stiff Kiss that at first I never noticed… However, it is one of my favourite fairy tales.
I tried to right something that wasn’t super trendy but that still would catch the attention of readers. So there are a few creepy factors that inspired me.
There are a few quotes and poems that are near and dear to me that found their way into A Stiff Kiss, which really add to the themes present.

Q: Five pieces of advice you’d give to unpublished or soon to be published authors.

A: Ahh yes, I wish back in the day I’d read more interviews with questions like this.

Find a support group. I’m a huge advocate of Absolute Write, but anything will do. Writers need support outside family and friends—they need other writers.
Use the writers you meet at a support group to your advantage. The best advice, tips and critiques you will get about your work is probably not going to be from your mom, or your best friend, it’s going to be from Critique Partners and Beta’s.
Learn how to write a phenomenal query letter. This is your best weapon against unsuspecting agents and publishers. It needs to WOW them.
Getting published is sort of like winning the lottery. Your odds are not in your favor, but if you keep trying—you might just win big.
Read. A lot. I know it’s been said time and time again, but it’s a huge one. You will learn so much through reading, and it’s always a great way to relax.

Q: You’re Canadian. Sadly, I still haven’t been able to get there, although it’s on my list of places to visit. Share five reasons to visit your lovely country!

A: I’m going to guess that you don’t want me just to say it’s because I live here… right? Okay, in no particular order…

Poutine. This is one of my all time favourite, belly bulging treats. Nicely fried French fries, smothered in gravy and topped with cheese.
Mountains. I’m lucky enough to live on a few short hours from them, but we have some of the best around. Add that, we have some of the best skiing around!
The Northern Lights. You can see them where I live, but if you can manage a trip even further north, they are majestic. One of lives amazing treats.
I don’t mean to brag but… we did invent some of the world’s most popular sports. I think just about every province has a great sports hall of fame center.
The Calgary Stampede. I’d be a traitor to my province, if I didn’t boast about the fact that we have one of the world’s largest Stampede and Rodeo.

Q: If you could enter the world of some of your favorite characters in your favorite books, which five characters/books would you choose and why?

A: This is probably the hardest one to answer of them all!

Princess Bride by William Goldman—Princess Buttercup. I think this is one of those classic love stories. There’s a bit of everything in this novel, and I’d love to be a princess, just for a day.
Exiled by MR Merrick—Rayna. This girl has some pretty quick ass powers from being a witch. And from the awesome description she’s pretty hot too J And damn does she have some wit!
Blue Blood Series by Melissa De La Cruz—Skylar Van Allen. It’s not your typical vampire saga which I really like. She’s a little lost, but she’s also strong, she’s got a great friend and an awesome boyfriend! She’s also done some traveling which is on my list!
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare—Juliet. I know this is a tragic love story, but it’s a love story all the same.
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen—Ruby. This is just a fun story, with some real life problems wrapped up in a sweet romantic bow. There are some sad scenes, but this novel is also about overcoming the odds. I think it would just be fun.

Love your answers, Avery! Thanks for playing along with me.

Author Bio:

Avery Olive is proudly Canadian. She is married and has one child. When she’s not helping raise her very energetic and inquisitive son, she can be found working on her latest novel–where she devilishly adds U’s into every word she can.

When she is looking for a break Avery enjoys cake decorating, losing herself in a good book, or heading out to the lake to go camping.

The release of Avery’s first novel proves to her it won’t be the last. As long as her family continues to be supportive, she can find the time, and people want to read, Avery vows to keep on writing.

Important Links:

Avery Olive’s Blog : www.averyolive.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002656782468

A Stiff Kiss Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Stiff-Kiss/255522414458899

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/averyolive

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13411964-a-stiff-kiss

Crescent Moon Press: http://crescentmoonpress.com/index.html

And now let’s find out some more about A Stiff Kiss!

The blurb:

Who knew kissing a corpse would change everything?

Death always hits Xylia Morana too close to home, but she likes it that way. She hangs out with the terminally ill, attends random funerals, and every so often, when the weather is right, she sleeps in open graves.

But after Landon Phoenix, the high school hottie, dies in Xylia’s arms, she sneaks into the morgue to say goodbye. How could she know stealing a kiss from his corpse would wake him up?

With Landon returned to the living and suddenly interested in Xylia, life has new meaning. But what Xylia doesn’t realize is that by kissing Landon back to life, she’s thrown Life and Death off balance. The underworld demands a body, and it might just have to be Xylia’s this time.

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stiff-Kiss-Avery-Olive/dp/193725433X/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stiff-kiss-avery-olive/1108801919?ean=9781937254339&itm=1&usri=a+stiff+kiss

The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Stiff-Kiss-Avery-Olive/9781937254339

A Stiff Kiss Novel Excerpt:

No way should I be in the morgue. If I’m caught, I’ll lose my job. My dad will probably get fired, too. He’s been warned to keep me out of here.

The walls are lined with thick, square doors, clearly marked with numbers. I stop in front of the one I want. In the middle of that wall, at waist height, is number twelve. Beyond the door, lying on a sliding metal table, is the body of Landon Phoenix.

I’ve always had a crush on Landon, ever since freshman year when his family moved to Silver Springs. I’ve watched him grow into his looks, no longer a gangly boy with braces. And I’ve longed to hear my name roll off his tongue in that deep voice of his. To press my lips against his as he holds me in a tight embrace. To share the same air as him.

Though now, all those things are impossible. Except one. I can pull open the door, slide the table out, and at least for a moment I can share the same air, even if his lungs can no longer pull in that air.

I hesitate, my hand on the handle. Besides my mother, this will be the only other person who’s died that I’ve really known. The others have just been people, random ones at that. The guy from the grocery store who jumped off Whibley Bridge into the icy waters below, the occasional patient of mine who’d succumbed to old age, and many, many others. But this is personal. This is someone I’d known. Or at least, someone I’d held secretly in my heart.

But I need to say goodbye.

Judging a book by its cover

Although you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the truth is that a striking cover will attract attention to your book. If I happen to be on Amazon or Goodreads and come across an interesting cover, chances are I will click on it and then read the blurb and maybe even check out the reviews.

I feel fortunate that Crescent Moon Press puts the time and effort into producing some amazing covers for their books. The compliments on them are proof of that. Here’s a few that are coming soon. Aren’t they gorgeous? Not to mention they look like great reads. Stay tuned, I’ll be sharing more in the future.

Awaited, by Lynn Rush

Russell Leonard is a centuries-old Guardian who’s lost faith in his purpose. So when he’s charged with procuring the first female Guardian in over two centuries, he can only hope it’s the red-headed beauty who’s been haunting his dreams for months. And if it is, he intends to claim her as his. But when he finds his dream woman, Annabelle is mute and bears no Guardian’s Mark. He soon realizes she’s been tainted by an ancient evil. Russell must somehow release the secrets trapped within this delicate, mute beauty, to help her tap into the only weapon powerful enough to silence a millennia-old demon—her voice.

Taste, by Kate Evangelista

At Barinkoff Academy, there’s only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Yuri has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Yuri the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Breathless, by Cole Gibsen

Obituary-reading emo girl Edith Small is broken – the end result of forcing herself inside a mold that doesn’t fit. All she wants is to conform to her strict sergeant stepfather’s rules long enough to make it to graduation day. But a boat accident threatens to unravel the life Edith has worked so hard to keep. After waking up in a hospital with a lacerated shoulder, Edith fakes amnesia. Because admitting she received her injuries from a blue-haired girl who breathes underwater is all the reason Sir needs to send Edith on the first bus to military school.

Safe at home, Edith struggles to put the nightmare behind her. But the mysterious creatures that live in the ocean aren’t about to let her forget. After meeting Bastin – a strange boy with silver hair and black eyes – on a secluded dock, Edith learns about the war raging undersea to end human existence. A war that Edith, unwittingly, has become the key to winning.

In a world where death is an ever-present shadow and motives are as dark as the bottom of the ocean, Edith must decide if her life is worth risking for a love that can’t survive past the shore.

Author interview – Jenn Nixon

Today I’m pleased to welcome Jenn Nixon to the blog. Jenn has a book coming soon from Crescent Moon Press and has published several other novels as well. Here’s the blurb for her latest hot off the press release, Trust Me, Tell Me:

Mason Storm is set to marry Veronica Chance in seven days. When he receives a mysterious text message he immediately packs and leaves without saying a word to anyone. After meeting with his former boss, Mason knows his past has finally caught up with him. In order to clear his name of false charges he returns home to Boston ready to put the issues to bed. Veronica, however, isn’t making it easy. She’s determined to help despite his claims of being the only one to make things right. As the investigation intensifies, Mason is captured and Veronica holds the key to his release. Will she make it there in time to save him and their wedding or will everything fall apart?

And now for our interview.

Q: Where were you born? How many places have you lived? Are you the kind of person who likes to move around a lot, or do you prefer to live in one place?

A: I was born at JFK hospital in Edison, New Jersey. I grew up in Linden, spent some time in Delaware with an ex-boyfriend (I’ll never do that again!) and currently reside in South Plainfield.

I do like to travel, but I like having roots, moving sucks. I’ll probably have to do it again one day and I’m not looking forward to it! I have a tendency to be a homebody, but too much time in the house drives anyone nutty.

Q: What sparked your interest in writing? How long have you been writing?

A: I’ve been writing in one form or another since grammar school. What actually sparked my interest in fiction writing happened when I finished my first Star Wars Fan-Fiction. It was the first project I completed and I was so proud of myself that I continued to write original stories and haven’t looked back.

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write? And to read?

A: My favorite genre to write is suspense/thrillers. I enjoy writing Sci-fi too. My reading habits, however, are quite different. I’ve read everything from Horror to YA to Non-Fiction to Literary. My favorite authors, the ones who I always buy on release day are Suspense, Thriller, or Mystery writers.

Q: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A: Total pantser. I tried plotting out one story for NaNo a few years ago, never finished it. For me, allowing the characters to grow during the writing is the only way to keep ME interested in them. If I plot out too much of their history or personality I find that I limit what the character eventually evolves into. Perfect example is Lucky’s Charm. I set out to make it a straight Suspense/Thriller. Less than half way into the book Lucky runs into a character I wasn’t even thinking about adding until the end and he turned the book into a Romantic Suspense! But I went with it and it turned out to be the right move.

Q: You have published several books and have one coming from Crescent Moon Press. Tell us about your path toward publication.

A: After publishing a horrible novel in the early 2000’s, I went back to the drawing board and basically did everything I mention in the answer below. Once I had better quality novels to submit, I did so…hundreds of times. I have a spreadsheet of rejections. It’s HUGE! The feedback varied from the normal form rejection to real honest comments about why the story didn’t work for said agent/publisher. Eventually, after many edits and years trying to get the attention of the agents and big publishers, I decided to submit to ebook and smaller independent publishers. It’s a great way to build a platform and grow as a writer.

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

A: Learn the rules of writing, yes there are rules. Some you can break, others you shouldn’t. Learn how to properly write and submit query letters, a synopsis, and proposals. Join a writers group. Read a lot. Write even more. Learn how to edit your work, then edit it again and again. Above all never give up!

Q: Name a few authors who have inspired you and why.

A: My writer group friends Caridad Pineiro, Irene Peterson, Melinda Leigh, Rayna Vause, Chris Redding, and Mickey Flagg to name only a few have been instrumental in my writing journey. They welcomed me with open arms, answered countless questions, and constantly help me learn and grow while supporting my personal efforts in publishing. There isn’t enough space here to mention everyone who has inspired me because in my mind, every writer I chat with, talk to, or email helps me become a better writer and person over all.

Q: Are you working on any other writing projects?

A: I’m in the middle of working on Book Two in the MIND series. Lucky’s Charm has two follow up novels completed. I also attempted to start writing another project for NaNo this past November, but I’m not sure what I’ll be doing with it. I also have two or three projects that still have legs and soon as I figure out how to continue I plan on finishing them!

Q: Tell us something unique about yourself, a hobby or interest that’s completely unrelated to writing.

A: I’m a tomboy. Have been since I was a kid. I would much rather hang out with the guys and watch or play some football than go shopping with the gals. Sad, but true, a girl who hates shopping. Well, unless it’s for cool stuff like movies or videogames!

Q: Coffee, tea, or hard liquor? (or all three?)

A: Tea all the way. Earl Grey or English Breakfast are my faves. I don’t like coffee or liquor. J

Q: What books are you currently reading or on your to-be-read list?

A: I recently finished The Affair by Lee Child, damn book made me want a cheeseburger in the worst way! My TBR pile is way to big for me to even try mentioning!!

Q: And now for the bonus fluff question: If you could be a character in your one of your favorite novels, which character would you be and why?

A: I think a part of me wants to be all of my characters, but in all honesty, I really don’t want to be any of them because they’ve had rough lives, worse than mine! LOL!! However, if I had to pick one, right now it would be Dina from MIND: The Beginning. She’s half-alien and has really cool powers.

Thank you for having me on your blog today! I had a blast answering these questions!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jenn Nixon resides in New Jersey. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Liberty State Fiction Writers. Her love for thrillers and suspense often finds its way into her novels whether they are Science Fiction or Romance. When not writing, Jenn spends her free time reading, absorbing pop culture and current events, and social networking online.